"We still don't have answers," said her mother, Ladonna Salehi. "We still don't have anything about what's happened to her."

Proctor, who served as his own attorney in his theft trial, is considered a suspect by authorities in Lee County, Fla., in the July 2011 disappearance of Patterson, a Huntsville native who was his girlfriend and ex-wife. They lived together near Fort Myers, Fla.

Authorities in Florida said last year they presume Patterson to be dead.

Her disappearance, according to testimony and evidence at Proctor's trial that spanned parts of two days, was a catalyst to his twin life sentences. The stiff sentencing resulted from three prior felony convictions against Proctor.

Proctor told police, in video and audio interviews played at the trial, he was returning to Huntsville in August 2011 to search for Patterson and be around family. He also grew up in Huntsville and attended Butler High School.

Less than two weeks later, however, he stole an SUV and gun belonging to a lifelong friend he had been staying with, David Troy Campbell of New Market.

Ten days after taking the vehicle, Proctor was arrested in Florida. The SUV was recovered but Proctor said he sold the gun.

In his closing argument to the jury Tuesday, Proctor said he returned to Florida to talk with police investigating Patterson's disappearance. Proctor told officials at the school where Patterson was a teacher that she died in a car accident.

Amy Patterson and Daniel Proctor are shown together in a photo provided by a national missing persons organization.

"There's no joy in another human being being sentenced to life and your daughter is still not being found," Salehi said. "I don't wish anyone to go through anything like this. I hoping that now, maybe in time, he will (say something)."

A spokesman for the Lee County sheriff's department said Tuesday they could not comment on the missing person investigation or any plans to question Proctor.

Kenneth Anderson, a sheriff department investigator in Lee County, testified in the trial Monday. On Tuesday, Anderson told Larry Marsili, who was Proctor's stand-by attorney, that he was available to speak to Proctor before leaving town.

Speaking in general terms, Assistant District Attorney Randy Dill, who prosecuted the case, said it would be likely for police to pursue a suspect, like Proctor, despite the life sentences in another jurisdiction.

"He hasn't said anything yet," Salehi said. "It's going to be up to him, whether he wants to come forward and relieve his conscious and do the right thing. He keeps saying he's an honest and good person, but another family is suffering.

"We can't even have a memorial. We can't do anything."

Even Proctor's mother, Joyce Rosenbaum, said after the trial she knew nothing about Patterson's disappearance.

"No, I don't," she said. "I wish I did."

Asked if her son ever said anything about it, Rosenbaum said, "He said he don't know. He said she left."

The trial wrapped up quickly Tuesday. In less than two hours, Proctor began and ended his defense, closing statements were made, the jury returned guilty verdicts and -- at Proctor's request -- Circuit Court Judge Donna Pate immediately sentenced him.

"The evidence is short," Dill told the jury in his closing. "The case is relatively simple."

Unlike the disappearance of Patterson.

"He's off the street," her mother said. "We need to keep society safe."